President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Rev. Samson Olasupo Ayokunle, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to prove he is not a sectional leader as being peddled in some quarters.
He also said that there would not be genuine peace in the country if it failed to ensure peace in Southern Kaduna.
Ayokunle spoke in Kafanchan, Kaduna, on Thursday during a solidarity visit to the victims of Fulani herdsmen.
Ayokunle, who disclosed that the organisation donated relief materials worth N8 million, said: “We came here because we realised what you people are passing through.
“We may not have much to give you physically, but identifying with you will tell you that you are not alone in this situation.
“Until people of Southern Kaduna have their peace, Nigeria will not have peace. It is the duty of the government to ensure that Southern Kaduna and other parts of the country struggling with herdsman are brought under control.
“So, peace in Southern Kaduna is a task that must be accomplished. Those troubling Southern Kaduna must be brought to book, and prosecuted. Their gun must be taken away and sources of weapon prosecuted. If government fails to prosecute them they are not sincere. These are the conditions that government must fulfilled.”
Ayokunle encouraged the Internally Displaced Persons who came in their hundreds to meet with the leadership of CAN “not to lose hope, and not to think of retaliation, not to allow your faith fail amidst the traumatic experiences you are going through. Let me assure you, our God, the Lord of Host is with you and he surely fight your battles for you”.
The CAN president tasked those in the position of authority to cease paying lips service to perceived discrimination, injustice, and misuse of power.
He asked government and security agencies to stop “looking elsewhere when people are being killed, property destroyed and bring turned into refuge on their lands”.
He reminded the security agencies that it was only “mutual respect for people of all ethnic groups and all religions. It is when we do all these that we can do pilgrimage together”.
On the relationship between the Christian body and the Federal Government, Ayokunle, who doubles as the President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, explained that his leadership was ready to meet with President Buhari “if the door opens” for dialogue.
He said: “We have seen the Vice president and if the door opens again we will see them. But you know that currently the president of the country has not had time to see CAN.
“To be a president of the nation, no group in the country should be sidelined otherwise he will continue to be a sectional president and that will go in history against him as a president who is not broad-minded who decided to sideline a group of people.
“To the security agents, we thank God for what they are doing but we must let them know that if they are posted to a region and problem still occur they will be held responsible. They are not posted to mount road blocks. They must not be looking other side when evil is going on.”
Ayokunle asked the Federal Government to rehabilitate all the victims of what the people in the area call genocide and rebuild all the burnt property.
He said: “It is the duty of government to placate the people, appeal to them by making sure that they do justice, not only to the people that caused the mayhem but also by rebuilding all the properties brought down.”
Ayokunle, however, encouraged the victims of the endless attacks “not to lose hope, and not to think of retaliation, rather they should make their course to God”.
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